Entertainment Software Rating Association

From Retro CDN

The Entertainment Software Rating Association (ESRA or اسرا), not to be confused with the United States' Entertainment Software Rating Board, is a government-run video game content rating system in Iran. The system has two separate but complementary elements—rating games and indicating content. According to the ESRA's website, "computer game rating organization in Iran is based on the culture, conditions and the special values of this country. Socialism and sectarianism are two important principles in the determination of such criteria. This serious matter has been done by ESRA by using the related theories, scientific notions and the intelligence of experts and masters. The sociologists, psychologists and religious groups presented their views on the society of Iran. Their resultant of their ideas were gathered and determined as the principles to the groups and age groups in this organization. Paying attention to the different social and cognitive capabilities of age groups, the rate of learning and the effectiveness of the environment can have different and unique models. Regarding to these matters, rating games are done based on strong language, discrimination, fear, violence, bet and gambling, sexuality, drugs, use of alcohol and violating the values existed in the games."

The system uses six indicators to determine age from +3 to +25. Additionally, games may be noted if their content has been edited to suit an Iranian audience or if they have been prohibited. As the standards for rating, editing and prohibition are not public, ratings and prohibitions may seem strange to Western observers.